West Ham United and Arsenal are battling for a 25-cap France star once valued at £65m after a new Nabil Fekir claim.
Arsenal are one of the biggest clubs in the country and Europe. But West Ham have closed the gap on the north Londoners in recent years, finishing above them in 2020-21 and spending three times longer than Mikel Arteta’s side in the top four last season.
The Gunners have been steadily improving under David Moyes’ protege Arteta and look genuine title contenders this season.
Rubbing shoulders with the likes of Arsenal on the pitch is also enabling West Ham to compete with them off it.
Moyes and Arteta have been linked with mutual interest in a host of players in recent transfer windows.
Arsenal were heavily linked with Lucas Paqueta before West Ham made the Brazilian their record signing in the summer.
And a West Ham insider claimed Moyes was once offered the chance to sign Gabriel Jesus before he ended up signing for Arsenal in the last window.
Now West Ham and Arsenal are reportedly battling for a 25-cap France star once valued at £65m after a new Nabil Fekir claim.
Arsenal have been long-term admirers of the Real Betis star and wanted to sign him when he was at Paqueta’s former club Lyon.
Now Just Arsenal News are reporting news from sources in Spain that the midfielder is interested in a move to the Premier League.
But the report claims Arsenal face competition from West Ham for Fekir’s signature.
Now 29, the January window could represent one of his last chances for a move to the Premier League.
He is managed by ex Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini at Betis and was once valued at a whopping £65m.
According to website transfermarkt, Fekir’s current market value is more like £35-40m.
Whether West Ham have that kind of money to spend in January after shelling out over £170m on eight new signings in the summer remains to be seen.
But with a large French-speaking contingent at the club, West Ham could have an ace up their sleeve.
With Arsenal in the title mix that could prove a lure too good to turn down, though, should it come to a straight battle between Arteta and Moyes as the reports suggest.